Chris Christie OKs More Medical Marijuana for Kids

But wants lawmakers to tweak the bill a little

(Newser)
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Kids in New Jersey are a signature away from gaining easier access to medical marijuana, CNN reports. Gov. Chris Christie today agreed to sign a medical-marijuana bill if lawmakers would make two changes:

Make edible marijuana forms available to qualified children, not to everyone

Require a psychiatrist and pediatrician to sign off on the minor's prescription

New Jersey's current law grants patients access to medical marijuana, but this bill would allow more strains to be grown and ease the application process for kids.

Children currently need three letters of approval for medical marijuana, and the new bill would require just one; seems Christie is splitting the difference. The bill would also allow for medical marijuana in edible form to be packaged and distributed. Christie reached his decision under pressure from the father of an epileptic girl who may benefit from a marijuana strain that isn't yet available in New Jersey. But Christie, a possible presidential hopeful for the GOP in 2016, said it's still a tough decision: "These are complicated issues," he told the father. "I know you think it's simple and it's not."

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